Blog by Alex Deve – all those ideas are mine and just mine. Blame me for it. Nobody else.

Cortez, San Francisco, sold…

When my friend Thomas told me he wanted to sell Cortez, I couldn’t believe it. It was one of my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. After talking to him, I understood why he came to that decision. What made me come to peace with it was his desire to find a buyer who would keep the concept intact.

Because I love Cortez. And even if I may be biased, the recent Michelin star that they just got confirms it’s one of the top places in the city. It’s about great ingredients, amazing flavors, and a young chef full of innovation.

I still remember when Quinn and Karen Hatfield decided to leave Cortez. That was a huge test. The two chefs who created the menu, leaving for LA, who would be able to take over? Well, they trusted the two young sous chefs, Seth Bowden and Louis Maldonado, who already worked there. And they nailed it.